Fireworks are no fun for pets

July 4, 2013

By Staff

NEW — 6 p.m. July 4, 2013

Make this Independence Day fun and safe for you and your pets.

Big gatherings, kabooms and brilliant fireworks are all things people love about Independence Day, but they can be very frightening for pets. With a little planning and precaution, you can ensure that this holiday is enjoyable for everyone.

Seattle Humane Society pet safety tips for Independence Day:

• Keep pets indoors

Keep your pets in a safe, enclosed room, preferably one without windows. If you’re inviting guests over, consider keeping pets in a room that’s off-limits to guests, with plenty of water and food.

• Create a calming environment

Surround pets with their favorite toys and other familiar objects. Sometimes, the smell of an article of clothing from your laundry can help comfort them. Play soothing music and keep the room as quiet as possible by closing doors, windows and blinds.

• Keep away from fireworks

Even if your pet doesn’t seem obviously upset by fireworks, they can still cause harm. Avoid potential burns, injuries or possible ingestion by keeping all pets out of the vicinity of fireworks.

• Update identification

The biggest risk of all is that pets will get loose and become lost. Even if a pet is secured inside, the sound of fireworks can cause extreme panic — sometimes causing them to even break through glass windows. Make sure your pets are microchipped and wearing identification tags. Call to confirm that the pet’s veterinarian and the microchip company have your current address and phone numbers.

Comments

[…] Fireworks are no fun for petsIssaquah PressSurround pets with their favorite toys and other familiar objects. Sometimes, the smell of an article of clothing from your laundry can help comfort them. Play soothing music and keep the room as quiet as possible by closing doors, windows and blinds.Safety precautions urged for pet owners during fireworks seasonSanta Rosa Press Democratall 2 news articles […]

Elisabeth on
July 5th, 2013 7:09 pm

Fireworks scare pets, wildlife (poor birds and squirrels) and some people like me. I live in Klahanie, which was a war zone on July 4, and I had to spend the night in Sammamish away from Klahanie as having been in a real war, I go into panic attacks. Fireworks not only scare animals and some people but also pollute the air and are a fire danger and accidently hurt people and are very dangerous for the people who make them overseas. It doesn’t make sense that there is a $ 1,000 fine in Sammamish for setting off fireworks and then a few streets away in Klahanie, you can buy them. It’s time for King County to outlaw this outmoded practice of shooting off individual fireworks.

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